Radiolarians III

iTunes Review

This is the third and final installment in the Radiolarians series, for which the band followed a specific formula for each release in turn: First, the keyboards/bass/drums trio compose songs or song sketches; next, a brief tour to refine the tunes in front of audiences; finally, immediately head to the studio to record the final results. Generally tours support released albums, but this about-face works well for Medeski, Martin & Wood, as proven by the quality of each of the three releases. Split about evenly between funky, introspective, and experimental tunes, Radiolarians III features the trance groove of “Kota,” Latin touches on “Walk Back” and “Jean’s Scene,” and a driving rock riff on “Undone.” There’s also the stellar “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down,” which builds tension with a cascade of notes and quivering bass for two minutes before launching into a fuzz bass-driven reference to the melody on “This Train,” as the piano pounds out a gospel rhythm. After more than 18 years together the trio continues to push each other and create consistently intriguing, adventurous, and moving music.